The Path of The Voice
by PimpedOutToast
Summary: In Depth Summary inside. Post-Main Quest. Spoilers for Main quest and some side quests. FEMHumanAlduin. Trust me, it isn't that over the top. In case you haven't noticed I have a thing with Bethesda games and lizard girls. Don't ask me why. T for the norm
1. Victory

The Path of 'The Voice'

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Fanfiction

by

PimpedOutToast

**Chapter 1**

Victory

_And so it was that the World-Eater Alduin was stricken down by the Dovahkiin -The Dragonborn. While the world was saved from the great dragon, his former right hand, Paarthurnax was depressed at the news. At least that was how destiny determined it to be. But what if the Dragonborn, the mighty mage that he was, didn't destroy Alduin, but sealed him away with a Shout of his own design? _

_That...is this tale._

_Listen, as the aftermath of this event unfolds..._

Alduin attempted to rise, but Horrigoth, the legendary Dragonborn, had used his mighty magic to disable the great World-Eater. The Heroes moved in but Horrigoth raised a hand.

"No. I have other plans for his wretched soul."

Alduin growled. "You'll never defeat me! I am Alduin, the World-Eater! You are a mere Jul-Human!"

Horrigoth got into proper stance. "You've already lost." He inhaled...

"KREN SULEYK GRON!"

3 of the dragon souls that Horrigoth had previously absorbed flew out of his body and spun around Alduin, turning into chains of Magica. They squeezed Alduin until his soul, a black orb, was drawn from his body. It became ensnared and then vanished in a bright flash of light as his body began to decay.

"What... did you do?" asked Gormlaith Golden-Hilt.

Horrigoth caught his breath; that shout was of his own design, but it was crude as he had barely learned the language, and so he had to fuse the souls of 3 dragons and his own magica to use it at full power.

"T'was a shout I created. It has sealed his soul within unbreakable bonds forged from the souls of his fellow dragons and my own Magica. Where it disappeared to... I have nary an idea. Maybe it sent him back to his own time." The Dragonborn shrugged his shoulders.

"I can't say I have any idea. I do know however that this Shout will keep him sealed for eternity. Only I can release it, and obviously I don't plan on doing that."

_Lo, the Dragonborn stopped the great World-Eater Alduin, and Skyrim returned to normal. While the Stormcloaks and Imperials still waged war, both sides were beginning to see how naive and childish their fighting was, and some believed that peace was a possibility in the future. Paarthurnax had managed to call a small number of dragons to his side, although quite a few number of the "younger" dragons still terrorized the land. As for the Dragonborn, he returned to the College of Winterhold and was greeted with a hero's welcome. Tales of his triumph spread across the land, and the Nords of Skyrim began to decide the College wasn't such a bad place. After all, if the also-Nordic Dragonborn was Archmage, who were they to doubt him? Frequent couriers made deliveries from all corners of the land, love letters from many a fair maiden. From Prisoner to Legend to Renowned Hero, Horrigoth had fulfilled his destiny as Dragonborn and become idolized by all the land. Life was good for the Dragonborn. _

_Our story doesn't end there however. Nay, it is just beginning. We move forward in time a month, to a not so exciting day in the Dragonborn's life...that was soon to become otherwise._

Horrigoth sighed as he filled out some paperwork. It turned out being Archmage meant his adventuring days were over.

Well, this was half true; the occasional Dragon showed up to give the inhabitants some trouble, usually of the Blood variety or lower, and was summoned to aid them.

Today, however, was not one of those days. He was stuck in his quarters, writing letters to applicants for the College who couldn't brave the journey to Winterhold to test in person. He had to personally write each letter saying the same thing depending on whether he thought they met the school's standards or not. Suddenly, a young argonian male burst through the door. This was Gi-Rijja, one of the new apprentices of the school.

Seeing the alarm on his face, Horrigoth slowly lowered the quill he was using back into its well. "What seems to be the problem, apprentice?" He attempted to remain calm, but his body betrayed him; his shoulders tensed, hungry for action.

The reptilian male caught his breath and answered "Archmage... there was a huge explosion... and then.."

"What is it? What's wrong?" Horrigoth was standing. "Is someone hurt?"

"N-no sir. It was out a ways from the school, to the north! A smoldering black orb appeared and crashed into a glacier!" The argonian was definitely shook up by the event...as was Horrigoth.

Horrigoth froze and his eyes widened. "For the love of Talos, this had best be not what I think it is. If it is..." He turned and retrieved a glass bottle of Ice Wraith Essence.

"We're all doomed."

When the Dragonborn arrived on the scene he saw a mound in the center of a crater. His sight was hindered however; he had used the _Whirlwind__Sprint_Shout to get here quickly, and as such his abilities were not fully charged. As a result, he couldn't use his _Clear__Skies_shout to remove the veil of ice and snow from the blizzard that had started up. He approached it and realized it was a young woman, perhaps a year or two shy of his own age of 23 years. He wasn't sure what to do; his instincts screamed helping the girl was a bad idea, but his personal Chivalrous code forbid him from leaving the young woman out to die. So he picked her up in his arms and used his now-charged Shout to return to the school.

Upon arrival he instructed an apprentice to prepare a bed immediately for the girl. She was wearing a hooded robe that had patches of what appeared to be some form of black leather or scales on the shoulders and chest. Her face had sharp features; he was certainly afraid to get on her bad side. Around her neck was a chain of pure ebony with a gold lock holding it tightly in place. The apprentice shortly returned and Horrigoth placed her on the prepared piece of furniture. He summoned his magicka and held two _Flames_spells in his hands, supercharging them. The heat from the spells radiated and warmed the girl, who was shivering in her sleep.

"Come on... " he changed spells; His right hand held the powerful Incinerate, putting out alone more than the two Flames spells combined. His other held the spell Grand Healing, which glowed gold as it charged to full strength.

Once he was sure she was alive, he released the Healing spell and golden light shot out from his hand, engulfing the two of them. He ceased the fire in his left hand.

The young woman groaned and shifted. She opened her eyes and looked around. "Where am I...?" Her voice lacked the usual accent, and had an inherent rage behind it, although she didn't seem angry.

She then noticed Horrigoth and jumped to her feet, staying on the bed to dwarf the sitting Horrigoth, who was shocked.

"Dovahkiin! Ahst MU;At last we-!" The girl paused her supposedly intimidating speech.

"What Tarohdiis Suleyk -Treacherous Power- is this?"

"FUS-"

The girl looked down at Horrigoth.

"ROH DAH!" A mighty shock wave knocked the girl into a pile of boxes.

Horrigoth raised a hand that sparked with electricity. "How do you know that language- the language of the Dovahh; the dragons?"

The girl grinned wildly. "That is a foolish question to ask Dovahkiin - Dragonborn. I _am_Dovahh - Dragon. I am Alduin!"

Horrigoth grabbed the hood on the girl's head and yanked it down, revealing long black hair and two black horns rising from the sides of her head backwards.

He then lowered the hood and grabbed the girl's hand. "WULD...NAH KEST!" Anyone they passed felt a light breeze as the Dragonborn and his arch- nemisis sped back to his personal quarters.

Horrigoth had summoned a Storm Antriarch to guard Alduin while he informed everyone he wasn't to be disturbed.

Once he returned he stepped over and looked down at the girl seated in front of him.

"Who are you?"

The girl growled. "I'm Alduin! I am the one you thought you had defeated in Sovengarde! "

Horrigoth sighed. "You say that, yet the only thing you share with him are his horns and those red eyes."

"I will take pleasure in ripping your skin from your bones Dovahkiin!" She lunged at him, but he used a Ward to stop her.

"Another thing, aren't all dragons male?" Horrigoth had never fought a Dragon who sounded female.

"You foolish Joor- mortal! Dragons are above gender! As we have no need to reproduce due to our immortality, we are created without gender, although we were given a male voice, and as such use the male form of speech!" the girl was glaring at Horrigoth.

"...Interesting. Come, we must speak with Paarthurnax."

Upon arrival at the Throat of the World, they saw Paarthurnaxconversing with Odaviing.

"It would appear that there are still several Dovahh causing trouble. Also, the winds speak of a group of Elder Dragons who have formed a council, and intend to continue Alduin's plan." The "younger" dragon reported.

While dragons didn't age, they weren't all created at the same time either. Their power also dictated how they were classified. Hence, weaker dragons were called younger.

"I see. That is unfortunate."

"YOK VAK KULL!" The blast of fire narrowly missed Paarthurnax.

"Ah, Dovahkiin. It is nice to see you again. I'm assuming you overheard our conversation."

Horrigoth nodded. "It seems my work isn't done. However, I know that because of this one."

He yanked down the girl's hood. "Say hello to the new Alduin."

The two dragons stared at the girl, then at each other. Then their thunderous laughter shook the air.

"You must be jesting Dovahkiin. This is not the World-Eater." Odaviing moved closer to the girl.

This was a bad idea. "STRUN BAH OU!" The girl shouted. Storm clouds gathered and lighting began to fall, causing the dragons to tense; they knew lightning was a dragon's greatest weakness short of Dragonrend.

Horrigoth was in terror; he knew that shout and its power.

Alduin stood there smirking, which everyone found odd as dragons didn't smirk.

"Dovahkiin! Use your voice to stop the storm before we all perish!" Paarthurnax pleaded.

"Right. LOK VAH KOOR!" Horrigoth's shout cleared away the clouds.

He then rushed over and placed his hand over Alduin's mouth.

He then held her in place with his free hand.

"Do you believe me now?" The Dragonborn released the girl and crossed his arms.

Paarthurnax leaned in closer to get a better look. "Yes. She smells like him."

"Is it true... are you dragons... asexual?" Horrigoth was curious.

Paarthurnax nodded. "Yes dovahkiin, we have no gender. We refer to ourselves as Male however, as our voices dictate."

Horrigoth shrugged. "That aside, do you know what exactly caused this?"

Paarthurnax and Odaviing looked at each other and then back to Horrigoth.

"We do not know. Perhaps you should visit the Sky Haven Temple. Perhaps there is something there that might aid you." Odaviing commented.

"That sounds like a plan. What should I do with her?" Horrigoth rested a hand on the head of the short girl, who immediately tried to bite his hand for the action.

"Why not take her with you?" Paarthurnax suggested.

The Dragonborn groaned. "She's such a... difficult... being to get along with. I will try to keep her under control."

He raised two hands and summoned an overcharged Clairvoyance, which shifted from a white color to a golden one. He then cast it on Alduin.

"What was that?" the girl fumed.

"It was a variation on Clairvoyance. Normally the spell allows the user to find an object or location by showing a path. However, I've altered it so that it will essentially "mark" you. This means if I use it again, I can track you. No running off, understand?" The dragonborn explained.

_And so the duo embarked on the makings of a new quest, one that would lead to new revelations... of more than one kind. However, that tale shall be told later..._

Chapter 1 is complete. As you can see this is another Bethesda post-game fic. I'm going in with only Skyrim knowledge here, as this is my first Elder Scrolls game. I'm glad it won GOTY, as it is a fantastic game. For those of you worried about Project: EVE, I'll work on that soon; this upcoming Thursday is the last day for this quarter and I'll get on it. At the same time, I want to work on this and another couple of projects that aren't fanfiction. Apologies for making you wait. A certain SOMEONE (you know who you are) decided to bug me one too many times...


	2. Prophecy

Chapter 2

Prophecy

Horrigoth raised a torch as he looked over the legendary Alduin's Wall. He started on the left and began walking right.

"There must be something here! Something about your transformation and its meaning! If only the Blades would aid me. However, I'm not willing to betray Paarthurnax."

Alduin walked over to the center carving. "This looks nothing like me! They got the number of horns wrong completely!"

Horrigoth had an idea. He drew a steel dagger, snuck up behind Alduin and slit her palm before shoving it onto the mural's center carving.

"That hurt you oaf! I should- I should- Why can't I remember the word!" Alduin had planned on insulting him with dragon language, but for some reason... she couldn't remember the words.

"Doesn't matter. Look." Horrigoth released her hand and the mural started to _move_in front of them. The dragon's head moved up and its eyes swiveled around before the panel sunk into the floor.

"Blood seals. I figured such would be the case. Come on, let's see if this leads somewhere worthwhile." Horrigoth raised a hand and activated Magelight, lighting the way for the two.

* * *

><p>Shorty into their "crawl", they came upon webs. LOTS of webs. Horrigoth stopped and looked uneasy.<p>

Alduin raised an eyebrow and put a hand on her hip. "You're kidding me? You're not afraid to fight me and seal me away but you're afraid of a few little bugs? I"m rather insulted you think so lowly of me."

"Little? They're the size of BEARS! Maybe bigger even! And the legs! Don't get me started on the legs. And those mandibles..." Horrigoth was visually shook up.

Alduin laughed. "This is hilarious! The legendary Dragonborn afraid of FROSTBITE SPIDERS!"

She then used her hands to make "mandibles" over her face and wiggled them around. "Oh look I'm a spider! I'm going to eat you and tie you up and hang you from the ceiling!"

He crossed his arms and growled. "That isn't funny. It isn't that I haven't fought them before. I just don't enjoy it. What I'm about to do is Ironic really. Stay here."

He began taking off his clothes.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Alduin yelled at him.

"This." His eyes grew wide and his muscles began to ripple and shift as his transformation began. Hair covered his entire body as he finished changing.

When he was finished in his place stood... a werewolf. It ran forward, leaving Alduin a bit shaken. She gathered his belongings and continued.

The Wolf-man massacred the spiders one by one, until the giant version slowly descended from the roof. He let out a howl of defiance and the spider hesitated.

The spider was promptly torn limb from limb and stabbed in the "head" before dying. Horrigoth soon after reverted to his Nordic form.

"So you're a werewolf then?" Alduin questioned as she handed Horrigoth his clothing.

The Dragonborn nodded as he finished dressing with a silver ring on his right hand.

"Yes. This Silver Ring has a special enchantment that prevents the natural transformation by way of the full moon. It also helps suppress the... hunger." He reactivated magelight and the two began walking again.

Several dozen Draugr and a puzzle later they arrived at another wall. It was as ornate as the first; intricate carvings adorned its surface. Before the two could continue however, a coffin slid open. A Draugr Death-lord appeared, wielding an Ebony Warhammer.

The being charged forward. Unable to cast an offensive spell, Horrigoth cast Dragonhide, the most powerful Alteration spell available, ready for the strike. But the creature wasn't aiming for him...

It was aiming for Alduin.

The hammer connected, but not with Alduin. No, it connected with Horrigoth's back.

There was pain, yes, but it was more like a hard slap on the back then a crushing blow from the weapon.

Horrigoth opened his right hand and a violet orb appeared. He flexed his fingers and a Bound Sword appeared. He grasped the handle, turned, and struck the undead being.

It stumbled but was not heavily injured.

"Alduin," Horrigoth looked over his shoulder. "Stay where you are. I'm going to mix spells... this could get messy."

In one hand a flame appeared. In the other, sparks.

Slowly he joined the two spells, Incinerate and Thunderbolt, into one attack, which he launched at the Draugr.

There was a large flash and then an explosion. Lightning shot in every direction.

Horrigoth turned. "Get down!" He shoved Alduin into the room behind them and shut the doors.

* * *

><p>"You were a fool to try combining those two spells! Anyone with half a brain knows that different spells don't mix!" Alduin lectured Horrigoth.<p>

"You don't need to tell me that! I"m Archmage of the College of Winterhold! I specialize in Destruction magic so I KNOW it's dangerous." The two glared at each other before Horrigoth turned and opened the doors again.

"Well it's dead," he commented looking at what was left of the corpse. He reached down and took the Hammer. It might sell for a bit.

He then looked at the wall. "Well...this is unpleasant."

Part of the mural was gone; destroyed by his attack.

"Unpleasant? UNPLESANT? Now how are we going to see what happens?" Alduin walked over to Horrigoth and had her face practically inches from his face.

"Well would you rather us be killed by the Draugr?" Horrigoth yelled back.

Alduin reared her arm back and punched Horrigoth in the face at full force.

This didn't achieve much.

"What was that for?" Said the Dragonborn.

"F-For... FOR DOING SOMETHING FOOLISH!"

Horrigoth sighed. "Perhaps it is Talos' will. Regardless let us try and interpret what's left of the wall."

The two made their way over to the piece.

"This first part shows your fall from the sky and your new form." Horrigoth looked at the carvings.

"This part... a group of dragons, united against me I assume... Perhaps the Ancient Dragons that Odaviing mentioned?"

The destroyed part came next, so he skipped it.

"Then..." He stopped. The Hero from the previous panel... lie on the ground, blood pooling around him.

"..I die." His body went numb. He had brushed with death so many times before but this mural...if it told it to be so...

Alduin sighed. "That's not all to it you fool. Keep interpreting or I'll kill you now myself!"

Horrigoth nodded. "This... this looks like you. This symbol is for "shout"... but you can't speak dragon, can you? Maybe... Maybe I can teach you the shout now that you're mortal..?"

"What shout?" Alduin said, annoyed.

"Dragonrend. If Dragons can't use it because they can't comprehend it... maybe since you're not truly a dragon..." He turned to Alduin and placed his hands on her shoulders.

She jumped. "W-what?"

"Would you be willing to kill them? Kill those who once served you?" Horrigoth looked her dead in the eyes.

Alduin shook off his hands. "Don't be foolish! I'd never betray a Dragon! Especially not for the likes of you! You're the reason we got into this situation anyways!" She turned from him and crossed her arms.

"Very well. Then I must find a way to prevent this from happening." Horrigoth wasn't surprised at all of her answer.

"Fool, there is one more image! At the end!" Alduin pointed to the last image.

"It appears to be you as you are now looking into this circle, seeing your true self and the dragons from the other panel slain in front of you." Horrigoth believed in the guidance these walls brought. Alduin obviously didn't.

Horrigoth regained his composure and motioned to a path on the right. "From my experience in dungeons such as these, there is always a shortcut back to the entrance. We should return to Paarthurnax with this information."

Alduin sighed angrily and followed the Dragonborn. Should the prophecy come to pass then she wouldn't have to worry about him much longer...

* * *

><p>Meanwhile the Ancient Council had gathered. Six reddish-orange dragons looked at one another.<p>

"_So,__Alduin,__our __former __drog,__has __become __fahdon __to __our__ Paal ,__the __Dovahkiin.__This __is__ most __unfortunate.__" _The first said matter of factly.

"_As __it __stands,__ the __Sahlo __Dov __have __mostly __turned,__to __whal __an __army __with __Paarthurnax.__" _another added.

"_Zeymah,__ there __is__ but__ one__ option;__we __fent __kill__ the __Dovahkiin __and __free __Alduin __of__ this __spell.__" _the third said.

They all looked to the "youngest" of them.

"_Drogdwiinjot,__ you__ fent __be__ tasked __with __this.__" _

The dragon bowed his head lightly. "_Very __well.__I __fent __enjoy __tearing __the __Dovahkiin's __flesh __from__ his __queth!__"_

* * *

><p>The two returned to Paarthurnax and explained the mural and Alduin's inability to speak dragon.<p>

"I am... sorry should that prophecy come to pass. As for Alduin, … her... inability to speak dragon may have something to do with your seal, Dovahkiin."

Horrigoth looked down at Alduin. He found it kind of funny; just one month ago he looked up at Alduin from the ground as the great dragon tried to kill him.

Now? Now Alduin was at least a foot shorter than him.

"What are you staring at?" The ex-dovah said with a scowl.

Horrigoth crossed his arms. "I just realized how short you are compared to me now."

She growled. "My height is of no meaning! I'm still stronger than you!"

"Not particularly, especially now that you've lost your power to use shouts. If it weren't for those horns I'd call you a regular Nord."

This infuriated Alduin even more. "How DARE YOU compare me to... to the likes of yourself!"

She reared back a hand and, to both of their surprise, slapped him across the face, a step back from her punch earlier.

"What in Talos' name was that? Did... did you just _slap _me?" Horrigoth exclaimed, confused.

"W-what does it look like? Of course I did! You needed to learn your place _Dragonborn._" the last word had undeniable venom behind it.

"The bloody hell do you mean I need to learn my place? If anything you do! Face it!" He grabbed her wrists and held her arms down.

"You're a mortal now! You have limitations as do I! You aren't all powerful! You aren't a Dovah! You aren't a world-eater anymore! You're just one young lady who has a god complex! Well get over it!" He caught himself surprised at his tone and use of the word "Dovah".

"..." Alduin was in shock. _No__ one_ had _ever _talked to her in that tone. It honestly drove her insane that he not only _had_ but he was _right_! She let his words sink in; the hardest blow was when he specifically called her _Dovah;_just because she couldn't speak the language didn't mean she couldn't understand it.

Reality hit like a war hammer to a rabbit's skull; she was mortal. She was a Nord... well aside from her horns, which she hoped stuck around. She was weak. She was small. She wondered, was this how all the Nord she had terrorized and even eaten felt before their dooms?

This feeling was... unfamiliar and it downright scared her: Powerlessness. Weakness. Mortality. Three things a Dragon could never understand, yet now she saw them clearly.

Horrigoth released her wrists. "I... apologize for letting my anger get the better of me. It was unbecoming of the Archmage of the College of Winterhold and myself as a warrior. It doesn't matter what you were once, whether either of us likes it or not, you are a lady and I must treat you more respectfully."

Alduin's rage began to build again. Was he looking down on her because of her gender? 'No...' she thought, 'he isn't looking down on me. He had a code of honor and he violated it.'

Alduin pulled her hood up over her horns. "That is understandable. I might have just gained a small amount of respect for you."

Horrigoth was then extremely confused. "What?"

Alduin didn't understand the heat on her face, as dragons did not have such feelings. "F-fool! Just because I have some respect for you doesn't make me any less your enemy! Don't grow soft Dragonborn, or I will kill you!"

Paarthurnax watched the exchange with intrigue. 'This shall be an interesting development indeed.' the great Dovah though as he chuckled inwardly.

* * *

><p>So, I got a review mentioning in-story translations, and I've decided to take that idea for use.<p>

Drog= Lord

Fahdon= friend

Paal=Foe/enemy

Sahlo=Weaker/lesser

Dov=Dragon

Whal=Gather or form

Zeymah=Brothers/brother (in this text, the former)

Fent= Shall

Drogdwiinjot= Name, meaning "Lord Steel Maw"

Queth=Bone/Bones

In case you didn't already know...

Dovahkiin=Dragonborn

Dovah= Dragon

Dov=Dragonkind (the Dragon Race as a whole)

Sorry about the lack of epic storybook text this chapter.

Anyways, Chapter 3

"Mortality"


End file.
